James Earnest Lawrence was born in 1889 in Gage County, Nebraska, where he started in journalism as a reporter. In 1906 he entered the University of Nebraska and took a reporting job with the Lincoln Star. In 1918 he joined the University faculty in the journalism department, and in 1922 he became editor of the Star. While editor Mr. Lawrence became a close friend and associate of George W. Norris whom he supported throughout his career. In the later years of Senator Norris' life, Mr. Lawrence collaborated with him in the writing of his biographical work, The Fighting Liberal. Lawrence was a strong "New Dealer" and strong supporter of the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the 1930s Lawrence worked hard for the creation of the Tri-County system and many other irrigation and power projects. He remained an active and respected journalist until his death in 1957 in Lincoln.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Lawrence collection is arranged in five series: 1) Correspondence, 1910-1957; 2) Federal Projects; 3) Printed matter; 4) Miscellaneous; and 5) Newspapers and press notices. The bulk of the material in this collection dates from 1930-1940. The majority of the correspondence relates to Lawrence's political activities for George W. Norris and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and to his position as a member of the Nebraska Advisory Board. The collection includes materials relating to irrigation: Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation project, Loup River projects, Imperial Valley project, and the Benkelman-Haigler-Arikara project. Also included is information relating to the Roosevelt Library, P.W.A. and the W.P.A, among other topics.

The overall physical arrangement of the correspondence in boxes 1-12 is chronological, by year and month in which each letter was written. A "Correspondence Calendar" provides a further intellectual arrangement for the letters by listing the names of the correspondents alphabetically for each box, and dividing the box further into "Incoming" and "Outgoing" and "Miscellaneous" correspondence. The date of each letter is listed beside the name of the correspondent. Researchers looking for letters to and from a specific person should search for that person in the calendar for each box, and under each category heading: incoming, outgoing, and miscellaneous. The correspondence calendar is available on-site and electronically by request.

Note: See the photo component [RG1675.PH] for related images. See the NSHS Library Catalog and the Nebraska History index for published materials by/about James E. Lawrence. The NSHS also holds the papers of George W. Norris [RG3298] and George P. Kingsley [RG2999] (which relates to the Tri-County Project).

DESCRIPTION

Series 1 - Correspondence, 1910-1957

Box 1
Folder

Photocopies

1910-1919 (Morris, Taft)

1920-1929 (LaFollette, Norris, Coolidge, Shallenberger, Tri County)

1930 (Norris, F.D.R.)

1931 (Norris, Murphy, Family)

1932 (Norris, Roosevelt, Tatenser, Coryell)

1933, Jan.-Feb.

1933, Mar.

1933, Apr.

1933, May-June

1933, July

1933, Aug.

1933, Sept.

1933, Oct.

1933, Nov.

1933, Dec.

Box 2
Folder

1934, Jan.

1934, Feb.

1934, Mar.

1934, Apr.

1934, May

1934, June

1934, July

1934, Aug.

1934, Sept.-Oct.

1934, Nov.

1934, Dec.

1935, Jan.

1935, Feb.

1935, Mar.

1935, Apr.

1935, May

1935, June

1935, July

1935, Aug.

1935, Sept.

1935, Oct.

1935, Nov.

1935, Dec.

Box 3
Folder

For Senator Committees, 1936, Sept.

Norris For Senator, 1936, Oct. 1-15

Norris For Senator, 1936, Oct. 16-31

Norris For Senator, 1936, Nov.

Norris For Senator, duplicates, 1936, Oct.

Norris For Senator, duplicates, 1936, Nov.

Norris For Senator, duplicates, 1936, Nov.

Box 4
Folder

Contributions, 1936

1936, A-B

1936, C-D

1936, E-F

Box 5
Folder

1936, G-H (including Good Neighbor League and Hastings, Nebraska)

1936, I-K

1936, L (including Labor, and Loup River Irrigation)

1936, M (including McCook)

1936, N-P

1936, Q-R

Box 6
Folder

1936, R-Roosevelt Committee

1936, S-Scotts Bluff

1936, S-Speakers

1936, S-Simmons, Speaking Engagements

1936, T-W

1936, Y-York

Box 7
Folder

1936, Jan.

1936, Feb.

1936, Mar.

1936, Apr.

1936, May

1936, June

1936, July

1936, Aug.

1936, Sept.

1936, Oct.

1936, Nov.

1936, Dec.

1937, Jan.-Apr.

1937, May-June

1937, July-Dec.

Box 8
Folder

1938, Jan.-Mar.

1938, May-July

1938, Aug.-Oct.

1938, Nov.-Dec.

1939, Jan.

1939, Feb.

1939, Mar.

1939, Apr.

1939, May

1939, June

1939, July 1-20

1939, July 21-31

Box 9
Folder

1939, Aug.

1939, Sept.-Oct.

1939, Nov.-Dec.

1940, Jan.-Mar.

1940, Apr.-May

1940, June-July

1940, Aug.-Oct.

1941 (Lawrence, Robertson)

Norris For Senator, 1942, Oct.

1942, Jan.-Feb.

1942, Mar.

1942, Apr.-May

1942, June-Nov.

Box 10
Folder

1943, Jan.-Apr.

1943, May-Aug.

1943, Sept.-Nov.

1944, Jan.-Feb.

1944, Mar.-May

1944, June-Aug.

1944, Sept.-Dec.

1945, Jan.-Mar.

1945, Apr.

1945, June-Dec.

1946

1947-1948

1949 (Norris, Robertson)

1950-1954

1957

Misc. Undated

Box 11
Folder

1933-1936, A

1933-1936, B

1933-1936, C

1933-1936, D

1933-1936, E

1933-1936, F

1933-1936, G

1933-1936, H

1933-1936, I

1933-1936, J

Box 12
Folder

1933-1936, K

1933-1936, L

1933-1936, M

1933-1936, N

1933-1934, O

1933-1936, P

1933-1936, Q

1933-1939, R

1933-1936, S

1933-1935, T

1933-1950, W-Z

Series 2 - Federal Projects, 1930-1940

Box 13
Folder

Loup River Projects, 1933

Loup River Projects, 1934

Loup River Projects, 1935

Loup River Projects, 1936

Loup River Projects, 1938

Loup River Projects, 1939

Benkelman-Haigler-Arikara Public irrigation District, 1933-1938

Imperial Valley, 1933-1935

P.W.A., 1933-1934

Central Nebraska Public Power & Irrigation District, 1933-1940

Box 14
Folder

WPA District Personnel Lists

WPA Personnel Lists

WPA Correspondence

Roosevelt Library Association

Re-Employment Service

Box 15
Folder

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, A

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, B

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, C

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, D

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, E

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, F

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, G

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, H

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, I-J

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, K

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, L

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, M

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, N

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, O

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, P

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, R-S

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, S

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, T

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, U-V

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects, X

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects

Nebraska Advisory Committee Projects and Hearings

Box 16
Folder

Applications for grants of money under W.P.A.

Box 17
Folder

Applications for grants of money under W.P.A.

Box 18
Folder

1933, Tri-County (Ieukes, Latenser, Canaday, Stephens)

1934, Tri-County (Roosevelt, Canaday, Latenser, Kingsley)

1935, Tri-County (Kingsley, Cannaday, Kuska)

1936, Tri-County (Kingsley)

1937, Tri-County (Kingsley, Canaday)

1938, Tri-County (Kingsley, Canaday)

1939, Tri-County (Kingsley, Canaday)

Tri-County Associated Materials

Series 3 - Printed Matter

Box 19 (State and Federal project reports)
Folder

The Corps of Engineers in Missouri - July 1950

Special Survey Report of the Department of Public Works Bureau of Irrigation Water Power and Drainage of the State of Nebraska - Submitted Nov. 19, 1931

Report of the Mississippi Valley Committee of the Public Works Administration - Submitted Oct. 1, 1934

Report on the Progress of The Works Program - Dec. 1937

Report on Capacity of Flood Water Channels - Sanitary District No. 1 of Lancaster County - March, 1943

Report and Estimates Lancaster County Rural Public Power District

Foreign Crops and Markets - Reprint from issue of Nov 25, 1935

Ag Products Affected by Concessions Obtained or Granted by the US in the Ten Trade Agreements Concluded to Date - Feb. 12, 1936

Progress Report on the Ground-Water Hydrology of the Republican and Frenchman River Valleys - US Dept. of Interior, Aug. 1948